Fractured Moonlight
by Wonderland xo Writing
Summary: Peter's existence has been filled with loneliness after his brother left him and joined another coven. His knower leads him to Dallas, where he finally finds his Mate. He saves Charlotte from an attack and turns her, adopting her daughter, and trying to help fix the broken child. A surprise visit from Jasper connects two fractured souls, who help heal each other. Resuming 12/13
1. Prologue

**Prologue  
****October 26, 1990**

**Peter Whitlock POV**

_12:39 AM_

I check my watch for the seventh time in the last nine minutes and glance at the door, hearing the bass of the music pumping through the walls. I eagerly keep my eyes on the door, knowing that she's done her shift and she should be exiting the club any minute now. My nerves are pretty much going ragged as they have been all day, and I take the pack of cigarettes out of my pocket. Obviously, since we're technically dead, the smoke won't harm our lungs, but I just like the taste and the smooth feeling I get after. Especially smoking after a hunt, but now I'm just doing it to pass time and calm my nerves. Placing one in my mouth, I light it with my zippo and shakily exhale. I don't even remember a time when I was this nervous. I think back to the past week and how much my lonely life has changed. I now have a glimmer of something that I haven't felt in a while.

_Hope._

Hope for the future, hope for my Mate, hope for not being lonely anymore. It's been too long since I've had someone to talk to, to care about, and with my brother changing into a 'robot', I can't talk to him anymore. It seems like I'm not worthy of his precious and valuable time anymore with that wife and family of his. The notorious Cullens.

_Ugh, Mystic Meg and her band of fur munchers._

All vampires seem to know the Cullens, because of their 'vegetarian' diet, and their smarmy attitudes. Those goddamn vampires are so far up on their moral high horse, I'm not even sure they can see civilization anymore. Sanctimonious dicks. All of them, well, except Emmett. He's an alright guy, and his Mate is one tough bitch, but the others have some problems. Like Edward, I swear that he should either end it or just get laid. All this brooding shit must get old.

Dr. C and Esme are okay, and they have a noble idea going to raise their coven as a 'family', but I think you could run into some problems in the future if _everyone_ wants to think that they're the leader. With the Cullens, it seems that Edward and Alice are the leaders since that's who they all listen to. Just because of their gifts. Dr. C needs to step up and knock _Mystic Meg_ and _Emoward_ down a couple of pegs.

I'm pulled from my veggie bashing as the door to the club opens, crude shouts from the patrons sound through the open door and I roll my eyes. I can't help but smile as my lovely Mate steps out and turns towards the bouncer. Shit, she looks gorgeous. My beauty is wearing ripped jeans, cowboy boots, and her normal leather jacket. Her blonde hair is pulled up into a messy bun high on her head with her bangs falling in her eyes. "See ya, Lou."

I haven't actually gone inside the club watch her, knowing that I'd probably go on a massacre, killing all the humans who dare look at her. I understand why she's stripping; it's a hard world out here and there aren't many jobs available. You know, girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and all that shit. Doesn't mean that I have to like it. In fact, I hate it, which is why I need to set in course the inevitable.

"Have a good night, Honey." he responds and she walk down the street towards her car. I flick my cigarette away and follow her at a good pace, placing my hands in my pocket in an attempt to act casual. She has her duffel bag over her shoulder, reaching inside of her purse. She places her bag on the ground and reaches inside her purse, while I duck into an alley like a chicken shit. Shit, maybe I should just wait another day, or something. That would be alright, if my dick wasn't screaming at me to stop being such a bitch. My inner beast is even yelling at me, telling me to man up and go get my woman.

_My woman._

I glance over to the side as I hear some crunching as a homeless man falls over. From here, I can smell the alcohol that he's ingested, and it would be enough to get me buzzed if I drank from him. That's something I do miss about being human. I can remember clearly getting drunk and how fun that was. Maybe I'll make a meal out of him after I talk to my Mate. I haven't hunted in a couple of days. I turn my attention back to my beauty, seeing her still at her car.

She gets her keys out of her purse and I realize that I'm running out of time. I smack my head against the wall of the building I'm leaning against, cracking a couple of the bricks. It's been quite a while since I've done this, approaching a member of the opposite sex for more than, well, sex. I admit that have no idea what I'm doing right now. Usually, as vampires, we just see each other, know that we need to get laid, and jump each other's bones for some release, before parting ways. But, this isn't just some little fling, this is the real deal. This is me trying to build up some courage, and figure out what I'm going to say to my human Mate. I can't fuck this up.

_I'm such a fucking pussy._

Back when I was a human, I was from a time where dates with a girl was chaperoned by their brothers. Time's sure have changed, and this is a vampire/human situation. God dammit. What the hell should I do? Should I just walk up to her and say,

_Oh, hi, my name's Peter and I'm a vampire. By the way, you're my intended Soul Mate. Would you let me buy you a cup of coffee?_

Yeah, that'll go over well as she runs away screaming bloody murder. Fuck, fuck, fuck! How the hell am I going to do this? How the hell am I going to explain the red eyes, too? I didn't wear my glasses because I'd rather not be an asshole who wears his sunglasses at night. That would look a _little_ weird.

_Oh, why are my eyes blood red? Don't worry, it's a just a medical condition I have._

Yeah, right. I'm in deep shit.

I glance back over to my beautiful Mate, and my eyes widen at what I see, my anger rising. "Oh, no fucking way." I mutter as I see a hooded man grab her by her hair and covering her mouth with his hand to keep her from screaming. He drags her back into the alleyway near her parked car at vampire speed. I'm confident in my abilities to fight. Hell, I was taught by the best! I've had to fight a couple of nomad vampires who needed to be put in their place, and I win. I always win. That's all my sire, my brother, taught me. To win.

My Mating instincts are kicking in as all I see is another male vampire trying to take what is mine. That shit will _not_ fly with me. Vampires - male vampires, especially - are incredibly protective and possessive of their Mate. During the first few years of Mating, we barely tolerate any men even looking at our Mate, let alone touching her. It does get better after a while, and hell, some Mates actually let each other have sex with other people. How? I have no fucking idea, because I can't imagine her being with someone else.

_MINE!_

I snarl and follow them into the alley, where I find the fucker already drinking from my Mate. God dammit! I was too distracted by what I was going to say to her, and I failed to keep her safe. The ugly fucker glances up to me and snarls, as I am intruding on his meal time. I see red...much like the color of the blood flowing from my Mate's neck. Pure anger is coursing through my dead veins, and I know my eyes are now completely black. I've never felt like this - this angry - before. I've never felt this protective over someone either. The only person that's been on my give-a-shit list is Jasper, though in recent years he's been fading and fading off it. I've only worried about myself in these past years, but now, my Mate is on there, and she's at the top.

The dead man walking - _pun intended _- gets into a crouch, and I roar, "Mine!" as I run at him, lowering my shoulder and throwing him away from my Mate. I then crouch down in front of mine, protecting her as the rogue vampire shakes himself off, growls and charges me, fueling my anger.

_Fucking inexperienced toddler._

I have no problem as I dodge his attack, grabbing his head by his hair and twisting his neck. The satisfying metallic noise sounds in the air as his head tears from his neck, his body dropping to the ground with a thud. I throw his head into the dumpster and then rip him apart, piece by piece, throwing all of the remains in after the head. I take out my lighter and reach in, the venom catching fire and lighting the fucker into ash.

I relish in the smell of burning vampire, watching the purple smoke rise as my inner beast roars. I haven't killed a vampire in a while, and that pleasure of saving my Mate from that sicker fucker grows, just like the fire. I'm pulled from my gratification, by a pained whimper and I snap my head to the right. Shit, how could I forget about her? I quickly flit over to my injured girl, who's choking on her own blood. Her neck is bleeding from his bite, but it was a feeding bite, not a turning bite so there's no venom, and I'm glad.

_No venom will run through her veins except mine! _

I've heard before that you become bonded Mates that way, and I've heard that it's stronger than regular Mates. If you're lucky enough for your Mate to be your sire, than your relationship runs deeper than anything else. Of course, this is just what I heard, but it sounds pretty fucking awesome and I believe it.

I sigh at the bittersweet situation, since I didn't want to change her now, but it seems that I have no choice in the matter. I wanted to introduce myself to her, get to know her, take things slow, and then ask if she wants me to turn her or not. I would oblige to her wish if she chose to stay human, no matter how much it would pain me. I know I'm taking her choice away, but I'm just too damn selfish to just let her die. The thought of her death literally sickens me.

As I cradle my beauty's face between my hands, she opens her half lidded blue eyes, connecting to mine for the first time. I feel like my heart is racing a mile a minute, which is impossible since it's been long dead. Though, I beg it to stay still so I can fully focus. My Mate's usually tan skin is growing paler and paler with blood loss and I can already hear her heartbeat slowing. I gently brush some hair away from her face, and she seems to lean into my touch, despite the pain I know she's feeling at the moment.

_She recognizes me as her Mate!_

"I'm sorry, beautiful, but I cannot let you die." I murmur as her eyes stare into mine. I lean down towards her slender neck and place a kiss at the pulse point, feeling the slowing beat under my cold lips, before biting into her neck, injecting as much of my venom as I can. I then move to her wrists, doing the same thing. Her blood registers in my mind, and though it is delicious, I need _her_ more than it. She has become my world this past week, and I'm not giving that up just because I want some blood. She lets out a scream and I sigh in relief, knowing that the venom is flowing and the change has begun. My Mate whimpers a couple of times and I wince as I remember the pain. The burning agony. The persistent fire. "I'm sorry, Charlotte. The pain is only temporary and I promise that it'll be worth it. Just hang in there, gorgeous. It'll all be over soon."

* * *

_A/N: This is AU. Charlotte wasn't alive during the Southern Vampire Wars. Jasper helped Peter escape, and then escaped himself. You'll see how Bella ties into all of this in a little bit. This is a Bella/Jasper fanfiction, with a little Peter/Char on the side._

_- Wonderland xo Writing -_


	2. Chapter 1 This Burning Desire

**Chapter One**

**Peter Whitlock POV**

_One week earlier..._

Jaguars Dallas

I glance up the neon pink, glowing obnoxious sign outside the dive strip club. The sign appeared as just a picture in my head last night, and I knew that it was my knower telling me something. Sometimes, a picture of something will just appear in my head, sometimes it's just words, sometimes it's an outcome of a situation. It's random; no rhyme or reason, and I can't control it. Hey, at least it's concrete. Unlike Mystic Meg, aka my brother's pixie wife. Her visions are subjective, and can change in an instant. A tiny, microscopic decision can alter a path drastically, and change the vision. That's the way her 'gift' is flawed.

Anyway, that's the reason I'm at this strip club, because I got a fucking picture, and I learned a long time ago that I listen to my 'gift'. Though, I despise when Jasper calls it a gift, because it's not. I just know shit, and that's that.

So, now I'm smoking a cigarette and standing in the alley way across the street, keeping an eye out for whatever it is that my knower wants me to. I only saw the sign, so I'm going to stay out here and wait. I have no idea what I'm exactly waiting for, and it sucks. I wish I had some fucking clue, but that's the way my little knower is flawed. Sometimes, I gotta figure it out all by myself.

I've been real lonely these past forty years without my brother in venom - and practically in blood - Jasper Whitlock, aka the Major. Jasper let me escape from Maria's clutches and I begged him to come with me, but he just told me to run. To get out. I know he was probably punished for letting me go, but he hasn't told me and I don't like to ask. I owe him my entire life. Looking back, I can remember right after waking up as a vampire. I started having these weird feelings, pictures, and words appearing in my head and I learned that I had a 'gift'.

For the first few months as a newborn, my knower told me to just hang by him, and at first I thought I was crazy. The Major was ruthless and downright mean; a true warlord. But, I kept hanging around him, and I knew that I annoyed him, but I had so much fucking fun doing it! I would always get his panties in a twist and it amused the hell out of me. I knew that he could kill me at any second, but my knower told me that he wouldn't. After a while, he warmed up to me and we became friends and eventually brothers. He learned of my 'gift' and convinced she-devil to let me live past my newborn year. He's my sire, my brother, and my friend.

After I ran, I lived as a nomad, travelling around the world by myself and feeding. I stumbled across two men trying to rape a girl one night and made a meal out of them. My mama raised me to _always _respect women, and seeing that obscene act was just unacceptable in my eyes. So, I played the hero to a damsel, killed the bad guys, though I didn't get the girl. I just dropped her off at the hospital because she had a pretty big crack on her head. It was at that moment that I realized how good I felt. Taking care of those assholes, and keeping a girl safe. I wanted to feel it again, so I started searching for humans like that to feast on. It was a lot better than having to constantly cover my tracks when I fed on an innocent, and my conscience is completely clear. I feel no guilt while eating these expendable humans.

I've kept my diet ever since and only feed on dregs of society. Druggies, prostitutes, and murderers and the like. It's quite stimulating to feel like a hero every now and again. In 1938, I found Jasper again in Georgia, when I saw a picture of him passing through. We lived together as nomads for about a decade, and I taught him my diet. However, his gift as an empath really has its downfalls as even when they're not innocent, they still feel fear and despair. The emotions always got him when he had to take care of the newborns after their first year.

So, we parted ways and I know that the whole time we were travelling together, he was looking for something, and I didn't know what. I didn't hear from him until about twenty years later when he tells me he got married to his 'Mate' and is living with a bunch of fur munchers. These fuckers feed on animals, while trying to regain their humanity or some shit. Whatever, Jasper sounded kind of happy...well, it wasn't a lot for him to be happy considering how depressed he was.

By this time, I had my farm set up in Mobile, Alabama, which I consider my 'home base'. I invested in some stocks that my knower told me and acquired a comfortable fortune. One of the times I do love my knower. Anyway, I invited him and his 'bride' down, so I could meet my new 'sister'. Yeah, I regretted that and I wish my 'gift' would have told me to not invite them, at least not _her._

Number one, I thought that the Major was walking with a little boy in a dress. No, that's just his pixie wife. Then, I see he's wearing a fucking sweater vest and slacks. I thought it was some kind of joke, and he was going to yell 'gotcha!' but unfortunately, no. Apparently, that's what he's into now. _Bullshit. _He's a country boy, through and through. You cannot take the country out of him...that's what I thought, anyway, until he met her.

Number two, she keeps his balls in her purse! Honestly, I was ready and excited to spar with my brother as we normally did, just to blow off steam and have some fun. Miss Thing wasn't having any of that as she just told Jasper that it was childish. He fucking listened! Like a god damn dog to his master. He moved from one controlling female to the next! First Maria, then Alice. My knower told me that she wasn't his 'Mate', but I bet that he wouldn't have believed me.

Number three, the whole time she was in _my _home, she acted as if I was the shit at the bottom of her heel. Showed me nothing but contempt, and what hurt - what _really_ fucking hurt - was that my brother didn't defend me. The one I fought side by side with, the one I comforted when he was a sobbing mess with all the emotions from his kill, didn't even defend me.

She changed him into this life-sized Ken doll, that I don't even recognize anymore. I haven't spoken to him in ten years, all because of her I bet. I'm not telling him that she's not his Mate, he can figure that out on his own and suffer. He hasn't even given me so much as a phone call in the last ten years, and when _I _try to make an effort and call him, she intercepts the phone. Bitch.

I'm pulled from my thoughts as the door to the club opens. I look up, and I swear that my long dead heart beat for one time at the sight I was met with.

My eyes widen and my stomach clenches as a blonde woman steps out of the strip club wearing a pair of ripped jeans, a pair of brown cowboy boots, and brown leather jacket. She hitches a black duffel bag up her shoulder and makes her way down the street. The wind shifts and I catch her scent, causing a purr rumbled in my chest; whiskey, cinnamon, and vanilla. Fuck me, the god damn scent makes my neglected dick hard in an instant.

I move deeper into the shadows of the alley, to watch her. She turns her head and I get a view of her face, almost stumbling over from the perfection of it. Pale blonde hair falls to her shoulders in messy curls, almost like sex hair. Her eyes are the brightest fucking blue I've ever seen in my life and un-life, her skin is tan, and her lips are so fucking plump. Oh, the image of them wrapped around my cock comes to mind and I bite my lip to stop the groan that threatens to escape.

Confused and intrigued by this reaction, I continue to follow her as she walks down the street. The beauty walks over to an old, beat up truck and throws her bag in the bed, before sliding in the front seat and starting the car.

I walk over to an older car parked not too far from her truck and open the door, sliding in the front seat. I take off the access cover and pull out the power and ignition wires, twisting them together as the car roars to life. I then follow her at a good distance, so she doesn't become alarmed. I know I'm like a stalker right now, but I know my 'gift' is leading me to her for some reason. My knower led me to this beautiful woman for a reason, and though I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm going to find out.

I tail behind the girl until she turns down a seedy looking neighborhood and I park the car just outside the neighborhood. I turn the engine off and watch as she pulls into the driveway of a small, one story home. She exits her car and grabs the duffel bag, walking up to the porch. Needing to follow her, I get out of the car and creep into the shadows, hopping a couple of fences until I get to her house.

I creep towards the back of the house and see her walking into her bedroom, placing the duffel bag on the ground. Glancing around, I see that the house is scarcely furnished. Her bedroom only holding a bed, a small desk, and a dresser. I see her take her shirt off and as much as I'd like to, I'm not about to watch her get undressed some like Peeping Tom. I walk around to her other window, which looks into the living room. There's a small brown couch, a tv, a lamp, and a coffee table, but that's about it.

_She shouldn't be living like this..._

I sigh and glance over, seeing the light in the bedroom shut off. Waiting about a half hour, I hear her breathing even out, as well as her heartbeat, signalling that she's asleep. Sliding the window up, I soundlessly enter the house and inhale, smelling her heavenly scent.

Glancing around, I see that despite barely having any furniture, she keeps the house tidy. I walk into the living room, seeing many pictures hanging on the wall. Some are of the woman and girls her again, who I'm assuming are friends, but most are of a little brunette girl with brown eyes.

I follow her heartbeat down to the bedroom, and slip into the room, seeing her fast asleep on the bed. The moonlight is streaming through the window, illuminating her beautiful face. I can't resist the urge as I reach forward and lightly, like a feather, trailing my fingers down her face.

I'm then hit with a picture in my head, of the sleeping beauty with red eyes. I'm then hit with a realization, that makes me gasp.

_She's my Mate._

Holy shit, I'm Mated to a human. I step back, shocked at this while I feel like my long dead heart is going to leap out of my chest. I've heard of a couple of vampire/human Mated pairs before. Hell, we were all human before we became this. I always wondered how they did it, but now I understand. I smell her blood, but I do not thirst for it.

I walk over to her purse sitting on the desk and open it up, taking out her wallet. I find her driver's license and smile, Charlotte Linn Gage. My Mate, Charlotte. Beautiful. I also see she's three years younger than me at twenty. Finding all I need for tonight, I put the license back where I found it and glance over to my beautiful, sleeping Charlotte, "Soon, my Mate."

* * *

For the next week, I observe my Mate. She works as a receptionist at a nursing home during the day, and then works as a dancer at Jaguars at night. She doesn't really go out with friends, considering her day starts at five in the morning and ends at twelve-thirty at night. She works her sexy little ass off, while only going to work and then home to sleep. She looks so tired, so worn out, and older than her twenty years. She shouldn't be worrying about this...I want to take care of her, and take away all of these problems.

One night, I see Charlotte pick up her phone, muttering curses and continually running her hands through her hair. She seems extremely frustrated at something, while dialing a number and placing it to her ear. A couple of rings later, a male voice answers. "Hi." she replies into the phone, "Let me talk to her."

"Get over here! It's your mom." Some gruff, male voice yells in the background and my eyes widen as I look at my Mate. She has a daughter? Well, this changes things. Wait, who the fuck is this guy? I feel my jealousy growing like my growls as I bite them back, not wanting to alert her to my presence. Well, obviously the kid doesn't live with her. Does she live with her dad?

"Mommy?" I hear a young girl's voice and a large smile spreads across my Mate's face. I can practically feel the happiness at just hearing this little girl's voice is doing to her.

"Hi, baby." she coos into the phone and I smile, seeing how happy she is, talking to her daughter. "Mommy misses you."

"Miss you too." Her daughter's little voice replies and I can see tears prickling in the corner of Charlotte's eyes.

"I'll see you soon, baby. I promise." Charlotte says, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"'kay. Love you, mommy."

Char lets out a little sob, smiling, "I love you too, Bella."

Suddenly, that man's voice is back and I bite back a growl at the tone he uses, "Alright, that's enough. Go to bed."

"No! I-"

The man cuts off Bella's cry with a vicious shout, "Bed! Now!" I can hear Little Bella crying and my Mate is getting angry at this as she stands up, fist clenched at her side, "Don't talk to her like that."

"I'll talk to her however I want to talk to her, and you'll not tell me what to do unless you don't want to see her." Well, I guess that answers the question of whether or not she's still with him. Now, I want to find this asshole and kick his ass for speaking to my Mate like that. I also want to put in a little extra pain for yelling at my Mate's daughter, and for just sounding like an all around asshole. The line cuts off and Charlotte glares at the phone.

"Fucking prick!" Charlotte yells as she slams down the phone. She then puts her head in her hands and sits on the couch, sobs wracking her body. I sit outside and watch her, wanting nothing more than to walk inside and pull her into my arms. I need to comfort my Mate as she's hurting, but I can't in fear of looking like a complete psychopath. I leave my Mate, vowing that I'll introduce myself to her tomorrow.

I'll make everything better...somehow.

* * *

_A/N: Yep, Bella is Charlotte's daughter. I have pictures on my profile, check them out if you're interested. Jasper and Bella won't be introduced for a little bit, just hang on tight. Leave me a review - they really kick my ass into gear._

_I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2_

_- Wonderland xo Writing -_


	3. Chapter 2 Plans in Motion

**Chapter Two**

**Present**

I scoop up my Mate and place her head in my lap as I need to drive back to Charlotte's house in the truck I bought yesterday, focusing on just getting her back to her house and off the streets, so no one can hear her screams. I gently run my hand through her hair, which is now stained with some of her blood. She lets out a couple of whimpers and I wince as if feeling her pain as my own, "It's okay, gorgeous. I wish I could take the pain from you. I would take it all so you wouldn't have to go through this."

And I would. I wish I had my brother's power so I could take it from her, and pump her full of my love and calm. I pull into the driveway to Charlotte's house and scoop her up, bringing her inside. I flit into her bedroom walk into the bedroom and lay her down on the bed, brushing her bangs away from her sweaty forehead. I close my eyes and start planning, something I've learned from my sire. I need to fake her death, where they wouldn't be able to find her body. I then feel my knower giving me something.

_Car accident...truck falls into water...body is thrown from car..._

I can't bring her with me when I stage this death. Fuck, I could really use my so-called brother right now! He could help me stage this shit so I could stay with my Mate, but of course he's not here when I really need him. I called his number last night, but of course it was cut off, saying that the number is out of service. Mystic Meg's doing, no doubt.

I look at my Mate and wince as I know that I have to leave her, just for a little while. I walk over and placing a kiss on her forehead before running out the door and back to her car. I see that her bags are still on the ground and I take her keys out of her bag, getting in the car. I start it up and drive the way home, knowing I'm going to have to stage this like a fucking squirrel or something crossed the road and she had to swerve to avoid it. I know that she has to cross a small bridge with a lake under it to get back to her neighborhood, so I drive down until I'm about halfway down. Seeing that it's completely deserted, I swerve the car hard and head towards the edge, bracing myself as I'm thrown over.

I've gotten pretty good at staging deaths since I've had to make it look like my victims were killed after I fed from them. I usually just cut them open so they weren't found with a freaking bite mark. It was another reason why feeding from expendables is good, because they're not missed, and getting rid of the body is easy.

Even as a vampire, my stomach drops as we fall like a fucking roller coaster and I see the water approaching through the windshield. As I'm about to hit, I open the car door so it looks like she was thrown from the car. I jump out before it hits the water and land about fifty feet away. I surface above the water and watch as the truck fully submerges. I swim to the edge of the beach and look back, seeing that the car has disappeared, and they'll be able to pull it out but they won't bother looking for a body since they wouldn't be able to find it. I'll make a call when I get back, reporting that I just saw a car accident and a truck went into the water.

I run back to my Mate's house and hear her crying out from inside the house; not loud enough for her surrounding neighbors to hear, but with my vampire hearing, I can. I immediately flit inside the house and see her writing on the bed in pain and I wince. Not caring that I'm soaking wet, and take her in my arms and gently shush her. Hell, it might even help with the pain. I hold her for about an hour, feeling her tense body relax slightly.

I pick her up and walk through the house, getting ready to bring her out to the truck when my eye catches something in the kitchen. Holding my Mate in my arms, I walk towards it and see that it's a little drawing of what looks to be my Mate, and a little brunette girl.

_Mommy + Bella _is written underneath, I assume from the handwriting by my Mate. I look down to the beauty in my arms, my mind whirling. How could I be so stupid? Well, I was a little preoccupied with trying to plan out her death, but vampires are supposed to be able to think about many things at once. I totally forgot about her daughter. Now, what the fuck am I going to do?

_Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

I walk over to the couch and place my Mate gently down, before running back to her bedroom. I guess need to learn some more about this kid of hers, and if she ever comes to visit her mama. Even though I'm a selfish bastard, I won't just take her mama away from her forever. I'm not _that_ heartless, and I figure that when Charlotte gets her thirst under control, we could get her daughter. Her dad sounds like a real prick.

I open up the desk in my Mate's room, flipping through random bills, until I get to a manila folder marked '_Isabella Marie McCarty_'. Opening it, I find a copy of a birth certificate, a social security card, some baby pictures, etc.

Born on September 13, 1987 to Charlotte Gage and Ryan McCarty. I also find court documents which grant full custody of Little Bella to her father, who lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Well, at least I know where she is.

Glancing up, I see a picture I over looked, and it makes me smile. Charlotte is hugging Bella from behind. They're both smiling widely at the camera, and I can see how important Bella is to her, and vice versa. I take the picture and place it in the folder to bring with us. I decide against calling the police and reporting the crash, just in case Charlotte screams in the middle of my report. That might be a little awkward to explain. My Mate's scream makes me run out to her, seeing that she's squirming on the couch from the pain. I scoop her up and bring her out to the truck, placing her head in my lap.

"Darlin', I'm not sure if you can here me or not, and I'm sorry for the pain that you're going through, but I need you to do something. Think of every memory you have. Everything you remember. Especially think of your daughter, Bella. Just think of every memory..."

I continue to talk to her for the whole ride and sometimes singing songs that catch my fancy on the radio. I smile because think that she likes the sound of my voice since she hasn't screamed in a while. She whimpers and writhes a couple of times, but doesn't full out scream. My Mate is one tough babe.

Throughout the trip back to my house in Alabama, I tell Charlotte all that I learned about her. That her name is Charlotte Gage, she's twenty years old, she has a daughter named Bella, etc. I then tell her all about myself, hoping to maybe establish a relationship. I don't exactly remember hearing any voices during my change, but I remember Jasper's voice as he talked around me during it.

I figure it's kind of like how mama's talk to their babies in the womb. The baby will recognize the voice and a bond is formed. I'm hoping to form one with her as soon as possible. I know that Mates recognize each other and have an uncontrollable urge to claim each other. I haven't dealt with a newborn in a while, and I'm sure I'm a little rusty, but I think it'll be better to control her since she is my Mate.

I take her into my bedroom after a seven hour car ride back to my house in Mobile. Thank God we're surrounded by miles and miles of land so Charlotte can scream all she wants, and hopefully it will help with some of the pain. It feels good to not hold it in, since all that build up can cause even more pain.

I fill up the bathtub about halfway with cold water and strip the both of us down, my eyes can't help but take an appreciative look at her tight and toned body._ Dancing did her body good._ I quickly shake my head of those thoughts and store them away for later, when I scoop up her body and get in the tub, keeping her back to my chest as I wash the blood from her body. The bites on her neck and arms are now closed up, and in the middle of disappearing.

I gently murmur what I remember from my human life to her while in the tub, which isn't exactly a lot. I know that I was born in Texas in 1857, but I don't remember what my mama and pa look like. I don't remember if I had any siblings, or my childhood home. I don't even remember what I was doing when I was changed, I just know that Jasper is my sire.

After she's cleaned up, I dress her in a pair of my boxers and one of my button-ups to keep her comfortable during the burn, and I'm so proud of her for only crying out a couple of times. I remember crying out like a little bitch during the change, because it hurt more than anything I've ever experienced. I decide to just keep a pair of sweat pants on, not really caring about my scars that riddle my chest, arms, and neck from the newborns I've helped train and during the wars.

For the next three days, I stay right by her side, holding her to my cold body, and murmuring my affection for my Mate. How much I care for her, what our life is going to be like, that I'll protect her no matter what, what I know about her daughter and what I know about her, just so maybe she'll remember some things.

After sixty-seven hours, her heartbeat is speeding up and I feel my dead heart jump in excitement and anxiety. I step back, watching my Mate in the last moments of her change, on the precipice of death and life, but stuck in the middle. The last beats resound, and I know that my life is about to change within the next seconds. I'm not going to be lonely anymore, and I'm going to take care of all of Charlotte's problems. She'll never have to want for anything, because I'll give it to her.

I've already been thinking about what we're going to do about her daughter. For at least the first year, we're going to have to work on her control around humans, gradually getting her used to being around them and building up a 'resistance' to their scent. Her daughter's going to have to think that she's dead, and I know that it's going to be hard, but it's the only way this will work.

The dad sounds like a real tool bag, so I'm sure she wouldn't mind 'taking care' of him. Then, we'll take Bella to live here. Of course, explaining to her why mommy, and 'mommy's special friend' Peter, have red eyes is going to be interesting. Eh, she'll only be four years old, so I guess if we tell her why she's young, she'll just accept it because it'll be what she's accustomed to. I'll worry about that later...

_Ba-bum..._

_Ba-bum..._

_Ba-bum..._

_...silence._

* * *

_A/N: Charlotte's awake! I'm so glad to how well you're responding to this story and I'm so happy that you like it. _

_Was not too happy about this chapter. No matter what I wrote, I wasn't happy, so l__eave me a review letting me know if you think it sucks as much as I think it does. Be brutal._

_- Wonderland xo Writing - _


	4. Chapter 3 Savage Beauty

_A/N: There's a lemon in this chapter. Hope you don't mind._

**Chapter Three**

**Peter Whitlock POV**

I watch eagerly, already hard as a rock, as my Mate snaps opens her eyes, taking in all of her surroundings that she can see with her now crimson orbs. My mouth is constantly filling with venom, my cock twitching in my pants. She was beautiful as a human but now, with my venom running through her body, she's downright flawless. Her hair is falling is as straight as corn silk, and incredibly soft, which I know from the countless hours of running my fingers through it during her transformation. Her skin has become pale, in contrast to the sun-bronzed it was. Her soft features have become more angular, her cheekbones higher. Her lips have filled out a little bit, not too noticeable that human eyes would notice, but I can see a change. They're the color of a red apple, and looking so delicious.

My Mate is a fucking goddess.

I decide to make myself known, slowly inhaling and knowing that she'll hear me. Suddenly, she's up on the bed in a crouch, a savage beauty, who's growling at me. I'm not taken back by this display, since it's basically protocol for newborn vampires to be on high alert. I still have my guard up, just in case she decides to make a run for it. Then I'd have to restrain her, though the idea of her tight, little body pressed up against mine while I'm restraining her hands behind her back, holding her legs between mine, and my lips against her skin as a threat of decapitation. Whenever a vampires mouth is near another vampire's neck, there's an instinctual reaction to stay the fuck still, or they're going to rip your head off. Of course, I would never, but just the threat would be enough, and I'm a sick, masochistic bastard who would enjoy it. _My _savage beauty then stops and tilts her head with a frown, studying me. Some recognition is flashing through her black eyes and I know her soul is recognizing me as her Mate.

"Hi, beautiful." I drawl with a grin, deliberately showing my teeth. I know it's a risky move, but I want to test out if it will trigger a reaction from her. Eh, I'm a curious motherfucker, too. Charlotte continues to watch me, inhaling deeply through her nose while I know that she can smell my own arousal. Inhaling, I can smell that my arousal is instinctively triggering her own and I stay still, letting her eyes roam my body, while I return the favor.

Her ruby-red eyes are locked onto me, keeping me firmly in my place. I don't think I could move if I tried. Her body is still in her crouch, her hands still curled into claws, though I know she's not going to attack me since she would have done so by now. She doesn't even realize that she's doing it as she studies me. Her pale skin catches a couple of rays of sun through the window, her skin sparkling like millions of tiny diamonds._ Beautiful._

"Mine." Charlotte's sweet voice growls and suddenly I'm pinned against my bedroom wall, breaking through the dry wall a bit as if it was cardboard, her mouth ravishing mine. Fuck it, I'll worry about my wall later, because right now my inner beast is roaring in victory. I know that I need to dominate her for her first time, showing her that _I'm_ in charge. She'll definitely have me wrapped around her finger for the rest of eternity, but she needs to know that I will always call the shots, no matter how much I let her think she does. I use all of my strength and weight, crashing her back to the bed, cracking it, while my tongue explores her mouth greedily. I'm gonna need to redecorate after this. _Worth it._

My nose catches the musky scent of her arousal, which causes my cock to twitch almost painfully in my pants, making it harder than it already was. I'm surprised that I haven't ripped the goddamn seam! I don't even think I've been this hard in my entire existence. She keeps trying to flip us over so that she's on top, but I'm not having any of that. I growl at her and keep her pinned to the bed, before reaching down and ripping her clothes from body.

Charlotte growls right back at me and I grin against her mouth, "You are _mine_, Charlotte." I growl at her, before pulling ack and gazing at her heavenly body, continually swallowing the venom in my mouth to keep myself from drooling. Her breasts are pretty big, a little more than a handful, while her hips are full and perfect. My beauty reaches up and rips my clothes off of me, licking her lips when she gets a view of my chest, making me smirk.

I turn her over on her hands and knees, and line myself up at her entrance, before thrusting into her. She lets out a loud moan and I smile, grabbing her hips with the both of my hands and thrusting more forcefully. She meets me thrust for thrust, our hips smacking together as I continually let out loud growls at this incredible sensation. This woman - _my woman _- feels so fucking phenomenal.

"Harder." she moans out and I'm more than happy to oblige. I grab her hips and slam harder into her, Charlotte moaning in appreciation. I continue slamming into her, winding my hand around her hair and pulling her back to my chest, reaching around with my other hand and rubbing her clit with my fingers. I can feel her climax approaching and my Mating instincts are building inside of me just as my orgasm is. I can feel my mouth filling with venom, ready to mark her.

Just as I slam back into her, I feel her walls clamp around me and a ragged scream tears from her throat in pleasure. I spill my cold seed into her and roar out, "_Mine!_" before pulling her head to the right and sinking my teeth into the left side of her neck. We both ride out the waves of our pleasure while I'm in awe of the experienced we just shared. Never - _never _- has sex felt like that. It was passionate and hungry, all at the same time. I can't wait to do it again..and again...and again.

I'm a happy man, for the first time in forty years, I'm happy. We both collapse on the bed and I take my beauty in my arms, pulling her to my chest. I glance down at her and see her looking at me with a content smile, her eyes returning to the beautiful ruby red. "Hi, gorgeous." I murmur, a giggle escaping her throat. I close my arms around her tighter, encasing her tight body in my embrace.

"Hi," she replies, gently caressing my cheek with her soft hands, "I'm Charlotte."

I turn my head and kiss her palm, "I'm Peter."

"I know. I remember you. What happened, Peter?" she asks with a raised eyebrow and I take a deep breath, trying to find a way to explain this. I was considered a 'babysitter' back during the newborn wars, and I would watch over the newborns and explain everything to them about what they are, who they are, and what they're supposed to do. I'll admit that it got hard after a while when they're newborn year was up and it was time for their extermination. I detached after the first couple of years, succumbing to my inner beast, so I wouldn't have a conscience, and I wouldn't feel. To tell you the truth, my beast didn't really give a shit about the newborns when they were to be killed. It was easier that way.

"What do you remember, Charlotte?"

She furrows her brow, thinking for a little, while I sit back and let her. "I remember walking to my car and this guy attacking me. He was...drinking...my blood."

"He was a vampire." I tell her, figuring I should just tell it to her bluntly. She looks at me shocked, while I cup her cheek, seeing her mull this over in her head. "I know it's crazy, but vampires exist, sweet pea, and you are one now. I changed you to save you. You were going to die if I didn't."

"I'm a...vampire." she breathes out and I nod my head, readying myself for a newborn fit, but she just furrows her brow and thinks. She then gasps and shoots out of bed, clutching her head, "Oh, shit! I have a daughter! What the hell am I going to do?!"

I hop up and take her hands from her face, holding her close to me and calming her down. "Sh...calm down, sweet pea. I'll explain _everything_, okay?" she nods her head, and I take a deep unneeded breath. "You see, I have this thing that I call my 'knower'..." I then explain everything - who and what I am, who she is to me, the basics of being of vampires, and a little bit of my history.

"Why is my throat burning?" she suddenly asks, grasping her throat in pain and I gently take her hand away.

"It's because you're thirsty. Come on, babe." I tell her, guiding her out of the bed and placing a plaid shirt from the closet around her shoulders. I help her with the buttons, since her newborn strength will probably break them. I lean forward and kiss her, seeing her smile when I pull back. _Beautiful._ I then grab some sweatpants and pull them on, before leading her into the kitchen and grabbing a blood bag out of the fridge. It's not that tasty when it's cold, but it's all we got right now. I don't like putting it in microwaves because it makes it taste like shit. The bag changes the flavor of it, but not that bad. I would rather drink animal blood than put it back in a microwave. That was one of my experiments gone wrong, and my 'supplier' told me that I needed to get a blood warming machine, which he ordered me. Should be here any day now, actually.

I have a very good and _controlled_ vampire friend who works at a blood bank. Weird, huh? He's older than Dr. C, and has the best damn control I've ever seen, which he kind of has to being surrounded by blood all day. He makes sure that I stay stocked with bags, and I pay him a _very_ pretty penny. I was thankful that he was able to make a delivery yesterday, so I can worry about taking Charlotte hunting a little bit later. For now, we can just get to know each other while drinking from the blood bags.

As soon as Charlotte sees the bag, a growl rumbles from her chest and her ruby eyes darken to black with hunger. I hand her the bag and she takes it, biting into it and sucking the blood. A satisfied moan escapes her throat and some of it escapes her mouth from the sides, falling down her neck. I can feel my eyes darken as I let loose a low growl, moving forward and licking it from her neck and cheeks as she continues to suck from the bag. The taste of her skin and the blood is enough to throw me over the edge and we fall into another round of Mating after her first feeding, only this time she claimed me as hers. I have no problem with bearing the sting of the venom as I know hold her mark, warning female vampires to _'stay the fuck back'_. I don't think I've ever been this excited to be a taken man.

I suspect I'll probably have to wait a little bit before I can fully explain my plans for her daughter, since her mind is trying to organize itself and get used to being able to multi-task so many things. I'm a little worried about triggering a strong emotion which can cause a newborn tantrum. You know, I've said it once, I'll say it again - It'd be _real fucking nice_ if my brother was here with his gift, because it's going to take some time for Charlotte to get used to everything.

It's okay, I guess...because time is something we have a vast amount of.

* * *

_A/N: What did you guys think? Not a big lemon writer, so I don't really know how I did. Let me know in a review. Thank you do much for your favorites, follows, and reviews._

_- Wonderland xo Writing -_


	5. Chapter 4 Our Little Bit

**Chapter Four**

**Peter Whitlock POV**

_April 1991_

"You ready, Darlin'?" I call from the bedroom, where I'm buttoning up my shirt. I'm taking Charlotte to a club tonight to test out her resilience against being in a room full of humans, their blood pumping from dancing, their hearts racing as they grind against each other, their blood thinning from the alcohol they're ingesting. It could be a dangerous situation for a vampire who's only three months old, but I have plenty of faith in my Mate, since she did so well in the movie theatre last month.

I took Charlotte to some random theatre in town. She was completely surrounded by humans, and she did amazing. Seriously, I was so proud of her. She made it through 3/4 of the movie before it became too much and we had to leave. She thought I was going to be disappointed in her because she was in herself, but I assured her that she did amazing, and that it's difficult for a newborn vampire, especially one that's only a couple of months old, in a room full of humans.

We've only had a couple of newborn 'tantrums' because Charlotte sometimes has problems with her temper and thinking. _All _of her senses, heightened to the extreme and she's able to think about many things at once, it's frustrating and stressful on a body to adapt to that, so sometimes her newborn temper gets a hold of her. That frustrates her even more because she knows that she can't be like that around Bella. A round of sex while showing her how much she means to me is usually the antidote to that, and assuring her how well she's doing.

I'm amazed how well Charlotte has adapted to her vampire life and how she took everything in stride. She says that she's happy I saved her so that she'll be able to see her daughter again one day. She says she doesn't remember working at a strip club. Charlotte was horrified to learn that was her job, and she doesn't remember working at the nursing home either. She doesn't remember her birthday, or her parents, but she does remember everything about her daughter.

She explained that she had Little Bella when she was sixteen years old and she lived with Bella's biological dad for a while, before they knew it wasn't working out. He took Bella and went somewhere she couldn't remember, but thankfully I supplied it as Phoenix from the custody papers. Her ex sounds like a real asshole, not caring about their daughter, but only taking her to spite Charlotte, because he can. I know how much she wants Bella back, and that's what drives her to get her thirst under control.

I have to say, I'm excited to meet Bella as Charlotte described her. A curious, smart, little three-year old, who turns four in September. She loves her daughter very much, so we've already started ordering stuff for her. I expect it to be about a couple of months before Charlotte will be in control and we can go get Little Bit. Charlotte says she detests the color pink and is a pretty big tomboy, so we painted it blue, with green and white bedding. We bought clothes for her, though we just went with a general size for a four-year old, since that's the age we'll probably get her.

"Babe?" I hear from behind me and turn around, my eyes widening at what I see. Now, I know that I'm one lucky fucker and that my Mate is beautiful, but holy fuck, she's a goddess.

She's wearing a short, spaghetti strap, black dress, Her impressively, pushed up cleavage looks delicious, the top of her lace bra peeking from the top and making my mouth pool with venom; her curves are on display with the tight material and I follow it all the way down. The dress stops a little higher than mid-thigh, showing off her stocking clad gams, her feet in a pair of black pumps.

Looking at her smirking face, my little minx knows what she's doing to me as my pants are becoming tighter. Almost to the point of being uncomfortable. Her blonde hair is pin straight and her bags sweep across her forehead, her colored contact brown eyes shining with lust.

"Oh, baby, if we don't get out of here soon, I might just take you on this bed right now." I growl and she smirks, walking over to the door, before glancing over her shoulder.

"Promises, promises." she purrs, swinging her hips and walking out of the room. I groan as I adjust myself in my pants and grab my keys, running out of the room.

We arrive at the club and Charlotte glances around, tightening the grip on my hand. I pull her close and bury my face in her hair, purring, "You're doing great, Sweetie. I'm so proud."

She looks over and smiles at me, while I wraps my arms around her waist, having her walk in front of me towards the back of the club, weaving in and out of humans dancing against each other. I can feel the continuous growls rumbling in her chest, but I know that she's not out of control, it's the atmosphere that's getting to her.

We both get 'prop drinks' and stay close to the back, letting Char simmer in the middle of all these humans, adapting to their scent. I watch and see that she's barely reacting, and she's breathing normally. Her eyes are a dimmer red, but not completely black with hunger.

I take her hand and we walk to the middle of the dance floor, in the middle of all those humans grinding against each other. Charlotte wraps her arms around my neck and I start purring, placing my hands on her lower back and my leg between her thighs. Oh, tonight is going to be such a good night.

We stay for a couple of hours, dancing, teasing each other, and just having fun, when I notice that Charlotte looks hungry. "Let's go grab a delicacy. I'm not going to eat too much, since I have other things I'd like to eat tonight." I put on my best 'shit eating grin' and she raises her eyebrows with a smirk, bringing her mouth to my ear.

"You naughty boy." she whispers, nibbling the lobe and making me growl, before pulling me towards the back of the club to scope out our meals. We both catch a drug dealer slipping the bartender some type of opiate, and we find our meal.

Char kisses me, before swaying over to him. I slip out the back door to the alley, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of my pocket, and lighting it. I lean against the wall, smoking, and I only have to wait for five minutes when the door opens. I hear our meal's laughter and peek, seeing Char leading him towards me. She winks at me and I flick my cigarette away, before making myself known.

"Well, what do we have here?" I drawl, Charlotte looking at me with a smirk.

"Hey, buddy, get lost. This ain't a threesome." Dinner talks as he slips an arm around _my Mate's _slim waist, while Charlotte just raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah...I guess you're right." I shrug, before flitting over and slamming him against the wall, "That's why _you're_ going to have to leave." Charlotte walks up next to me and we both dig in, the man's screams muffled by the music from the club.

* * *

_October 1991_

Last month, I decided it was time. Char was nearly inconsolable on September 13, Little Bella's fourth birthday. She kept saying how 'bad of a mother' she is for not being there, and how she misses Bella. Our last trip to the club was incredibly successful, so I decided that Char's control is enough to be around Bella. I doubt she'd attack her anyway, since they have a blood bond. She's past her newborn year, the time when Maria would have killed her, since her enhanced speed and strength weakened.

We arrive outside of Ryan McCarthy's house located in a seedy neighborhood in Phoenix. I parked my truck down the street and we're staring at the one-story home, with the uncut lawn. Charlotte is vibrating with excitement, while I hold the gas can. I kiss my Mate's head, knowing that she's excited to see her daughter again after a year of being away, and I'm ready for anything. I'm also excited to meet Little Bella for myself, and I actually hope that she likes me.

We creep in the shadows towards the back, staying in the dark, until we arrive at the back. I peek inside a back window and frown when I see a little slip of a girl laying on a mattress. There's no furniture in the room, except for the tiny, ratty mattress in the corner of the room. Charlotte looks and a growl rumbles in her throat, before we both silently slip into the room. The little girl doesn't even stir, until Char walks over and places a hand on her shoulder, "Bella? Baby?"

The little girl stirs from her sleep and rolls over, big brown eyes connecting to Charlotte and widening. Two growls erupt in the room, one from Char and one from me. Bruises cover Bella's eyes and cheek, her top lip split open, and her eyes are teary. The blood smells fresh and Charlotte's not attacking, confirming my suspicions of the blood bond. I assume those wounds are from today. "Mommy?"

"Yes, Bella, it's me." Char says with a big smile and Bella stares at her shocked, before launching into her arms. I tense up, ready to take her away if it gets too difficult, but Charlotte just hugs Bella closer, sobs escaping her own chest as Bella cries. She calms down after a couple of minutes and looks at me, shying away. Char notices this and brushes some hair out of her daughter's face, "Bella, this is mommy's husband, Peter."

"Hey there, cutie pie." I say with a small grin and Bella curls into Char's side, staring at me terrified. I don't take offense, since I'm assuming that her bastard father did this to her, of course she's scared of men.

"Hi, Peter." she says, peeking around to watch me. Well, that's a nice start. I then hear some heavy breathing and moans, turning my head towards the right. Char frowns and turns back to me, while I smile at her.

"Get her out of here and back to the car. I'll deal with the _mess_." I tell my wife, who looks over the moon while holding her baby girl, placing kisses all over her bruised and teary face. She wraps the tattered blanket around Bella and places her on her hip. I smile when I whisper that they're going home, which sounds really nice about now. Just me, my Mate, and Little Bit.

I then turn towards the door with a glare as I hear more moans coming from the other side of the house. I walk over to the door and turn the handle. I can't open it as it's locked from the outside. _He locked his daughter in the room! What kind of fucking animal..._

I growl and turn the handle, breaking it open as I follow the moans down the hallway. Glancing around the house, I see that it's dirty with beer cans and liquor bottles all over the place. I then see a used needle on the trash infested coffee table and growl, clenching my hands into fists.

I walk into the room where the noise is coming from, only to be met with some whore riding Bella's bastard father. Glancing at the ground, I see the whore's attire scattered - a leather mini-skirt, a skimpy top, and fish net stockings. A hooker!

_Such a nice place for your daughter._

"Isn't this a nice show." I drawl, the hooker screaming and hopping off Ryan, turning around to face me. Ryan jumps up out of bed, grabbing his pillow to cover his itty bits and pieces.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm the last person you're ever going to see." I say with a smirk, before growling and flitting over to the hooker, snapping her neck. I then flit over to Ryan before he can even react and sink my teeth into his neck, ripping his throat out. He lets out a gurgled cry and I spit out the piece of flesh in my mouth, spitting out the blood as well. I don't want that fucker's blood in me. He gurgles, blood spilling from his mouth and falling to the carpet while I just crouch down and watch, "Beating on your daughter, screaming at her, doing drugs...be glad that your demise is_ just this_. I don't have time to torture you more, since I want to get back to my woman and her baby girl. We're going home. Don't worry, I'll take care of Bella better than you ever could. Have a good time in hell, prick."

I place the two bodies on the bed and then walk out of the room. I grab the gas can out of Bella's room and douse the whole house, making sure that I cover most of the space. I light a match and throwing it in the dead bastards room, before flitting out the window we came in. I creep back to the car, where I see Char in the backseat with Bella cradled in her arms, fast asleep. I slide in the front seat and start the truck, glancing in the mirror to a smiling Charlotte, "Let's go home, babe."

"You got it, Darlin'." I reply with a smile, pulling away from Phoenix and heading home.

Just me, my Mate, and..._our _Little Bit.

* * *

_A/N: So, they're going home. I'm posting this story on Wattpad, and there's links for pictures on my profile._


	6. Chapter 5 Moving On

_A/N: Time jump in this chapter. Flashbacks will fill in with the missing months._

**Chapter Five**

**Jasper Whitlock POV**

_October 1992_

I speed down the road on my Ducati, my mind whirling. Alice, my wife, my supposed Mate, cheated on me, again. I've felt bitter during this while relationship, and I realized something was wrong when I always saw Carville and Esme or Emmett and Rose, feeling their love, happiness, trust, and lust towards their Mates. Something I've never fully experienced. Sure, I loved Alice because she told me we were Mates. I trusted her to help me, to save me from my despair, and I'm a horny male, of course I lusted after her.

Alice and I met in a diner in Philadelphia, which I only went into to get out of the rain. It was right in the middle of my depression, and I was looking for a ray of light. I walked in and she came up to me, telling me that she'd been waiting for me. At first, I didn't understand what she was talking about and I though she was crazy, until I saw the eyes. They were like a burnt copper, unlike the red I'd been sporting at the time, reflecting my 'natural' diet.

I believed her because my sanity was hanging on by a thread. Peter showed me his way to hunt with cleaning up the dregs of society on the streets, but the emotions I can feel still ate at me. The despair they would feel as I sank my teeth into their jugular, like warm butter almost destroyed me.

Alice told me that we were Mates, that we were going to come across a vegetarian coven, who we were going to live with, and we were going to live happily ever after while hunting animals. Deep in my gut, I knew something wasn't right. She told me that she was already in love with me and because of the mating bond, I was too.

In later years, I learned that the 'love at first sight' only exists in fairy tales, because true mating is nothing like it. Mating is not necessarily 'romantic' or 'immediate love', it's more of companionship. Someone to protect you and someone for you to protect. Someone to be a safe harbor, a confidant, and a friend. They will always stick by your side and you by theirs.

Of course, love can definitely grow between the two Mates, like Emmett and Rose. Carlisle and Esme had been in love with each other since she was sixteen and broke her leg, getting treated by Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He thought she was too young, so didn't pursue her. Thankfully, he found her after she jumped and saved her. Their love strengthened after he turned her, because vampires have stronger emotions.

In Emmett and Rose's case, she saw Emmett and instinctively knew that he was her Mate, so she needed to save him. Sometimes your soul recognizes things that your mind can't right away, and Rose did just that. She succumbed to her inner animal so she would be able to make the trip with Emmett and all the blood that was on him from the attack. Her inner animal wouldn't hurt her Mate, because hurting your Mate is hurting yourself. It was easy for them to fall into a romantic relationship because they are both very passionate in their love.

Over the years, I've known Alice has cheated on me. It's a little hard to not know when she smells of another man and it's even more rotten when I recognize some of the scents - some of the guard in Volterra, Alistair, and a couple of nomads who I've met throughout the years. Her gift has been very useful to her as she always knows if I'm going to catch her. Luckily, I've learned my way around her gift and I finally caught her yesterday...with Edward, the Golden Child. I guess I've just ignored what I've known, because I thought that I loved her. Well, I was wrong.

The family was out on a hunt, sans Edward and Alice, the latter wanting to go shopping. I came home early, changing my decisions along the way so she had no idea. I suppose she had _other _things on her mind and distracting her, anyway.

I've been manipulated like clay, molded and formed into this creation, and I don't even recognize myself anymore. Alice made me into her perfect Ken doll, but apparently she still wanted more. I've never been like this, quiet and reserved, always looking for permission for every little thing. Alice used my 'slips' against me, and I think I just got tired of the fighting, so I submitted like the little bitch I've become.

She even made me completely abandon my brother, Peter. She said his diet would tempt me and he was too childish. I wanted to argue with her, but Alice played me like a fiddle, making me choose between my brother and my 'Mate'. Of course, I chose my Mate, just like any other Mated pair. You can always get another brother, but you only have one Mate. I know that I chose wrong, and I don't know if Peter will accept my forgiveness after all these years. I know that I don't deserve it. I was an ass to him, and I don't even know what he's been up to these past years. I just hope that he's still at this house and he's not travelling.

You know, my 'slips' are caused by every vampire in that house, except Carlisle. Lust is an emotion, and vampires have a lot of it, especially blood lust. So, every time a vampire I've been around sees a human, they automatically thirst for them. They unknowingly project their lust to me, and I can't help but feel it and soak it in. That's the way my gift is flawed.

I smirk as I think back to right when I caught the two in action. I walked right into my closet without a care in the world, while they tried to pull their clothes on and explain what they were doing. I was over it, not even listening to them, so I just grabbed my backpack and packed some of my clothes that Alice thought she threw away. I pulled the cowboy boots out from the bottom of the closet and pulled them on, surprised at the freedom I felt when I did. Alice latched onto my arm, begged me to stay, told me she was sorry, but I just ignored her. Esme and Carlisle came home from their hunt and saw the state of dress the Golden Children were in, and were in shock. I told them I was going to Peter's and they wished me luck, promising to deal with those two.

I'm still going to live with the Cullens, because I still care about Carlisle, Esme, Rose, and Emmett. I just need to get away, because I can't stomach to look at the two traitorous golden children. I only have my bag on my back and my bike, which is all I need. I can buy extra clothes if I have to. Since we move around so much, I keep my most important things in a private safe, so I can pack and leave at a moment's notice.

Finally, I pull down the long driveway to Peter's ranch, seeing the farm, the stable, and his house in the distance. My body almost purrs as I smell the country air, finally feeling at home. The trip from Missouri to Alabama has taken about ten hours, but thankfully, since I'm a vampire, I don't have to stop for food or bathroom breaks. I know Peter hears me as I pull up behind his truck, seeing him casually leaning against a pillar on the porch. I take off my helmet and run my hand through my messy curls, "Peter."

He snorts, "Well, well, well...look what the cat dragged in." I walk towards the house and Peter holds his hands up, halting me, "Hold up there, Major. No phone calls, no visits, nothing for ten years. You think I'm going to let you just waltz back into my life just like that? You got another thing coming, asshole."

Normally, I would be off at his blatant lack of respect for _me, _his sire and brother...but I haven't exactly been acting like a brother, now, have I? Feeling like complete shit, I sigh. "I know...I know I've been a fuck up, and I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you have. Ten years, Jasper. Ten fucking years, and no phone call, no letter, nothing! Do I mean that little to you? Huh?" I can't even respond, feeling like a coward. Peter just sneers, "Nothing to say, and you expect me to welcome you back with open arms. Please, Pray tell, why you have graced me with your presence and why are you wasting your valuable time on me, an obsolete peon, hm?"

"Alice cheated on me." I blurt out, the humanity that lingers with me looking for some pity or comfort, which I'm not getting from Peter. Shit, he's not giving me an inch as he just stares at me for a couple of seconds, before snorting in amusement.

"Again?"

"You knew?" I demand and he rolls his eyes, pointing to his temple.

"My knower let me in on it. Don't look for any pity here, asshole." Peter sneers and I wince, feeling like a complete bitch, "You know she's not your Mate, right?"

"Kind of figured..." I mutter and he rolls his eyes again.

"Well then, what do you want?"

"My life back... but for now, I would like to stay here for a while. I'm sorry, brother. I've been a manipulated fool, and I fucked up too many times, but I'm hoping that you can forgive me." I say, trying to project my trust and sincerity to him. Peter watches me with a frown for a long time, before sighing and motioning for me to come in. I place my helmet on my bike and walk towards the house, following him inside.

I take a look around the familiar rustic style living room, which has definitely changed a little bit. It's a lt more decorated than it was and I raise an eyebrow to Peter, who shakes his head. I take a seat on one of the couches, Peter taking a seat across from me.

We fall into an awkward silence, and I curse Alice for making us this way. We never were awkward around each other before. We could talk and joke and laugh for hours and hours, without getting tired of each other. I hear a car pull into the driveway and I project some curiosity to Peter, who just smiles. "That's my Mate, Charlotte."

I frown, completely surprised and shocked on how much I missed, "When the fuck did you get a Mate?"

"Well, you could have known if you picked up a goddamn phone once in a while and called me." Peter snarks and I immediately feel guilty again. "Two years ago, but there's something else I got to tell y-."

Peter's cut off as the door suddenly opens and in comes a short little brunette girl. "Daddy, who-" she cuts herself off and halts her running, looking at me wide-eyed. A _human_ child. I can't help but mimic her look as my eyes widen in shock for two reasons - I don't know what the hell a human child is doing here and I can't seem to look away from her, and I don't want to try.

She's a tiny thing, with long brown hair that falls in ringlets and pale skin. Her widened eyes are big and doe-like, the color of fur on a bear. She stares at me with confusion, shock, interest, wonder, awe, and an odd flip-flop of uncertainty and comfort. I find that my emotions are reflecting hers as I'm strangely drawn to her. I'm about a second away from standing up and walking over to her, though I have no idea what I would do, but I just need to be close to her.

Suddenly, a blonde woman blurs in the door and stands in front of the child, protectively. She keeps her ruby colored eyes locked on me, her brow furrowed while radiating distrust, protectiveness, worry, and some fear. For a reason unbeknownst to me, I don't like that she's keeping me from the child. I want to be in view of this kid, and I don't like that she perceives me as a threat.

_Mine! _my inner beast suddenly chants over and over, while I frown in confusion. No, this child is not mine. I shove that thought aside, not wanting to ponder that right now, I just keep looking at Peter, projecting my confusion and curiosity. He stands up and walks over to the woman, touching her which melts away all the discomfort in her emotions, as only a Mate's touch can.

"Jasper, this is my Mate, Charlotte." Peter says, standing up and wrapping his arm around her, while I see the little girl, peeking around Charlotte to see me. I inwardly smile a little at that, seeing two beautiful, chocolate-colored eyes staring at me. Peter then looks down to the girl and scoops her up, causing her to giggle, a beautiful tinkling sound that I want to hear, and I want to cause. I don't resist the urge to smile outwardly at the sound, finding it incredibly adorable and endearing. "And _this _little munchkin is Bella, our daughter. Bella, say 'howdy, Major.'"

"Howdy, Major." the little girl softly says and I chuckle, standing up and slowly walking over to them.

I reach out my hand towards Char, who hesitantly takes it, "Nice to meet you, Charlotte. And Miss Bella." I tip my invisible hat, causing the girl to smile shyly. Peter then puts her down and Charlotte takes her backpack from her.

"Come on, baby. I'll go make you a snack." Charlotte says and Bella takes her mama's hand, looking over to me once more, before walking into the kitchen. I frown in confusion as a dull ache appears in my chest as soon as she's out of sight. What the hell is going on with me? When did I form a fascination with human children? Well, not human children, _this _child.

"How about we go for a hunt, and I'll tell you the story." Peter suggests and I nod my head, curious to how a little human is living with two vampires. Peter calls to Charlotte that we're going for a hunt and we both run out towards the woods surrounding the house. We run for about fifteen minutes, before I catch scent of a deer. I quickly catch it and snap its neck, before drinking its blood.

Thinking back to when we first met the Cullens, I also I remember my first hunt on the animal diet, and I thought that there was no way I was going to stick with it. The taste of animal blood is nothing compared to human; it's bitter and you have to drink a lot of it to become sated, but the upside was that I don't feel the animal's emotions.

After I finish up, I glance over to see Peter wrinkling his nose at the deer carcass. "I don't know how you eat that shit, Major."

I roll my eyes and rip up the ground, burying the carcass. "So...let's hear the story."

"Alright, so my knower popped up with a sign for a place called Jaguars Dallas. I found it to be a dive strip club, and I had no fucking clue what my knower was telling me. Turns out it was leading me to that fine woman in there. Confused the hell out of me till I figured out that she's my Mate. A human!" he exclaims and I raise my eyebrows. I've heard of some human/vampire Mates before, just didn't know that Peter would have one. I never understood how they did it, too. How they weren't always on edge in fear of draining them.

"So, I was going to approach her one night, you know, like a human guy asking a girl out for coffee or some shit, when this asshole vampire attacks her while I was distracted. Well, you know the drill - killed him, saved her, brought her back here and she woke up three days later." he says and I frown in confusion.

"Her blood didn't tempt you?" I ask and he shakes his head no, proud smile on his face.

"Nah, man. I need her more than I need blood. Anyway, Char was pretty controlled as a newborn and the thing that got me was that she remembered some stuff from her human life, including Bella and her asshole of an ex, who's Little Bit's sperm donor. She had Bella when she was sixteen and she and her ex raised Bella for about a year, before he just took Bella away. She didn't have enough money for a lawyer, so she had to grant him custody rights, until she could get enough money. So, about a year after her change when I thought that it would be okay for her to be around her daughter, we made a trip to Phoenix to get her. It was tearing Char apart that she was away from her, and didn't know if she would ever see her again. She said that her ex is an asshole and treats Bella like shit, so I knew we had to get her away from him. We snuck in the house, planning on scoping out a way to get her, when we found Little Bit's face covered in bruises. A fucking mattress and a blanket was the extent of her room, and it was locked so she couldn't get out, while his drunk ass was in his bed with some whore."

I let out a low growl at this, before frowning in confusion. Now, I've never been one for violence against women and children, my ma and pa instilling those values in me, but I don't understand why I care so much about this little child, but I do.

"Don't worry, we killed that scumbag and took Bella to live here. She told us that she barely got to leave her room and only ate when he saw fit. She sees me as her real daddy, and I love her like a daughter. I got my Mate, I got my daughter. I'm living the fucking dream." he says, radiating familial love for Little Bella. "But...we also have to fix what that fucker did. She was like a skittish foal for the first two months, especially around me, but I think that was because her father would hit and yell at her for stupid shit. That's the story so far...how about we talk about what's happening with you."

"What do you mean?" I ask, raising an eyebrow and wondering what my brother knows.

He just scoffs and rolls his eyes, "You can't tell me you don't feel it. Your connection to Little Bit."

"I don't know, Peter. She's a child, practically a baby. I'm not exactly a kid person."

"I didn't say you felt like a _daddy_ to her; that's my job, bitch. What _do_ you feel being here?"

I sigh, deciding to play along, "Content, happy, comfort, I feel...very protective of her..."

Peter's chesire grin widens,"And why do you think that?"

"Shit, I don't know, Peter." I sigh in exasperation, and Peter just grins that shit-eating grin that I want to smack right off.

"I think you do. Think about it...come on, let's get back to the house. I think someone wants to talk to you." Peter tells me with a smirk, before running away. I frown and shake my head at my 'all-knowing-cryptic-pain-in-the-ass' brother.

Following his scent, I run back to the house where Peter is waiting on the porch. He leads me inside where I hear giggling coming from the kitchen. It makes me smile and I walk in, seeing Bella sitting at the small kitchen table, munching on apple slices and coloring.

I follow Peter and take a seat at the table, Bella looking up at me, before glancing back down to her coloring book. The rest of the day is spent with me catching up with Peter, and getting to know Char. She seems guarded around me, and I know she doesn't trust me, which I don't blame her for. It's normal for new vampires to be cautious and wary, especially because of my scars. I won't fault her for her instincts. After she puts Bella to bed, they both head out for a hunt, asking me to just stay here with Bella. I'm not sitting on the couch with the tv on, my head in my hands. Too many thoughts are running through my mind, and I can't center myself.

"Why are you sad?" I hear a small voice and look up, seeing Bella standing in the doorway to the living room, clutching a teddy bear to her. She's wearing a pair of light blue pajamas with yellow ducks on them, and her feet have duck slippers on them. I smile slightly at how cute she looks.

"What are you doing out of bed?" I ask and she shrugs, walking over to the couch and sitting next to me.

Bella ignores the question and looks down to the bear, gently petting the brown fur on it, "I used to be sad a lot, too. Why are you sad?"

I look over to Bella, who raises her brown eyes to meet mine, "Some people, who I trusted, were very mean to me."

"Oh," she murmurs, before falling into silence for a couple of minutes, "_He _was mean to me, too. I always did everything wrong."

"I know how you feel." I murmur, wincing as I remember Alice lecturing me, berating me, belittling me for slipping, for making a mistake. Even when I would beg for forgiveness, it would take countless articles of clothing and jewelry to receive it. That manipulative bitch knew exactly what she was doing.

"We're the same." Bella says, reaching out her tiny hand and putting it over mine. I almost gasp at the electrical shock that runs through me at the contact. Bella seems to notice it as well, since her hand twitches on mine. "I used to be sad all the time, but I got better."

"What did you do to make it better?" I ask and Bella bites her bottom lip, shrugging.

"Hugging my mommy and daddy helps." she says and I smile at the innocence in that answer. "You should hug someone."

"I don't really have anyone to hug, Bella." I admit with a small smile and she frowns, glancing down to her bear. She then places the stuffed animal on the couch before opening her arms. I look at her confused, and she moves forward, wrapping me in a hug. It's a little awkward considering how large my frame is compared to hers, and I'm slightly stunned for a couple of seconds. I recover and pick her up, placing her in my lap and hugging her tiny body. _I'm hugging a human child_. I've never been this close to a human without feeding on them, but I have no inclination to hurt this child. I don't even think that I could hurt her.

She unknowingly projects affection, relief, and comfort as she lays her head on my shoulder. I don't think anything I've ever done has felt as good as hugging this tiny human. I close my eyes, relishing in this feeling and holding her as tight as I can without hurting her. She smells of strawberries, a distinct scent I can remember from my human years and I find myself taking big gulps of it.

"You give good hugs." Bella tells me as she pulls back, but doesn't leave my lap. She reaches over for her bear, but can't reach it, so I grab it for her. Handing the small bear to Bella, she smiles up at me, "You can always hug me. But if I'm not around, you can hug Westley."

"Westley?" I ask, raising an eyebrow and she nods her head, motioning to the small bear in her hands.

"Daddy bought him for me for Christmas. I named him after Westley from The Princess Bride. Do you know that book?" she asks me and I nod my head.

"I've heard of it, but I've never read it." I admit and her eyes widen, I swear they're going to bug out of her head and her expression makes me laugh. "I take it that I'm missing out."

"Hold on," Bella says, hopping down from my lap and running into her room. I look down and see that she put 'Westley' in my arms to hold and I smile at the small bear, before looking back up when Bella comes running back in the room with a big book in her hand. She then hops back up in my lap, opening the book. "Do you wanna read it?"

Looking down to her wide, hopeful brown eyes, I can't help but smile and nod my head. I take the book from her, sitting back as Bella settles into my lap, laying her head on my shoulder, "The year that Buttercup was born, the most beautiful woman in the world was a French scullery maid named Annette..."

I've never read of this book before, and I haven't seen the movie, but I am very thankful of Bella for introducing this story to me. I'm at the part where Inigo is dueling with The Man in Black, when I look down and notice that Bella is asleep. I close the book and place it on the end table near the couch, before shutting the light off so it doesn't disturb her.

I glance down and see Bella wrap her arms tighter around Westley and move her face to my chest, rubbing against it, almost like how feline's show affection. I situate her tiny frame against mine and hold her while she peacefully sleeps. One of her brown curls falls in her face and I bring my hand up and brush it away, smiling at the little beauty in my arms.

She's very pale for a human, almost as white as me. Her lips are incredibly red and full for a little girl, and I can see how long her eyelashes are as they twitch against her cheeks. Her eyes don't go unnoticed when they connect to you; big and bright, while the color of milk chocolate.

I hear the door open and glance up, seeing Peter and Charlotte walk in the room. They both freeze when they see me holding Bella, Charlotte's eyes flashing and her emotions radiating protectiveness and building anger. I know that as a couple of years old, she has a very short temper, so I have to calm her down, "She couldn't sleep, so she brought out a book for me to read."

"Princess Bride?" Peter asks, cutting the tension and I nod my head, "Little Bit's obsessed with that book."

Charlotte relaxes a little and walks over, holding her hands out. "I'll take her back to bed, Jasper." I feel reluctant to hand over the girl in my arms, but she is her mama, so I gently pass Charlotte her daughter, making sure Westley doesn't slip out of her hands.

Watching Charlotte lean forward and kiss her daughter on her forehead, and carry her back into her room, I frown as I place my hand to my chest. A dull ache forms and I gently rub my chest, trying to soothe it. Looking up, I see Peter looking at me suspiciously with a smirk on his face.

"What?" I snap at him, Peter just chuckling and shaking his head while taking a seat on the couch across from me. He just shrugs and grabs the remote off the table, flicking on the tv. I roll my eyes as we fall into silence, watching late night television.


	7. Chapter 6 This Discovery

**Chapter Six**

In the morning, I walk into the kitchen where Charlotte is making some breakfast for Bella. I see that she's cooking eggs and bacon for her, and my nose slightly crinkles at the smell. The meat isn't too bad, but the eggs just smell downright nasty. I guess it's like how carnivores taste better than herbivores, that meat smells better.

I take a seat at the small table and Charlotte looks over to me with a tight smile. She looks back to the food as she speaks, "I'm sorry if I've been a little cold to you. I'm just," she trails off for a bit, furrowing her brow, "I'm very protective of my daughter. I don't trust men around her, well, except Peter. It's all because of her biological father-"

"You mean, sperm donor." Peter interrupts from somewhere in the house and she smiles, nodding her head.

"He beat her and I'm actually surprised that she lets herself around you so easily. She would close up and cry whenever we went into town and she saw an older man. Memories of her punishments I guess. So, I apologize for being cold, but, I do like how she's taken a shine to you. She barely talked for the first couple of months she was with us, because I think she was beat for talking."

"No apologies needed, ma'am. Bella's lucky to have a mama who loves her so much. It's amazing to feel." I admit and it is. I've never felt someone who loves so deeply as Charlotte. Not even Esme's love for us can outshine her love for Bella, and I guess that's because she's her real mother. "I've taken a shine to her, too. She's a sweet little girl."

Charlotte gives me a small smile at that and I hear a little yawn and look over towards Bella's bedroom. She quickly puts the food on a plate before turning the burner off and place the pan in a dishwasher at vampire speed, before walking over to the bedroom.

"Good morning, baby." I hear Charlotte say from the bedroom.

"Good morning, mommy." Bella replies, her voice laced with sleep and I smile, looking over and seeing Peter walk into the room. I see the way he's changed ever since he's found his Mate. Granted, I haven't seen him in ten years, but vampires aren't like humans in the way they change and they grow. Peter has changed, though. Sure, he's always been an upbeat, sarcastic guy, but he's more carefree and happy. His emotions of love towards his Mate and Bella are unconditional and irrevocable.

I'm kind of envious as I've felt that his affection towards me has lessened that it has been in the past. We used to only have each other, and he was the only person, besides Alice, that I really loved. Now, I loved Alice, because I thought she was my Mate. I think I just tricked myself into thinking that I did love her, because I had to. My love for my brother grew over a span of time, because I used to always contemplate killing him in the beginning. He was an annoying motherfucker! Eventually, I grew to love him like a brother, and a friend.

Thanks to my wife - now, **ex**-wife - he doesn't trust me anymore and he's grown to not care for me so much, and it's all my fault. I should have dominated my female, instead of letting her dominate me. I've been a pushover these last couple of years, and it almost severed my relationship with my brother.

Charlotte carries Bella into the kitchen and sets her at the table next to me. She looks over and gives me a small smile, "Morning, Jasper."

"Mornin', Bella." I reply as Charlotte puts her breakfast in front of her.

"Thank you, mommy." she says as Charlotte places a kiss on her daughter's head, before walking over to her Mate, who wraps his arms around her from behind.

"Why are your eyes like that? Why aren't they red like mommy and daddy's?"

I was a _little _unprepared for this question, especially by a child. "Well...because I feed on animals."

Her brow furrows even more, "Why?"

"Because that's what my family does."

"Does it taste good?"

"No, not really."

"Why do you eat something that doesn't taste good?" she asks, and Peter snorts while Charlotte tries to hide a smile, and failing.

"Because I...I don't want to hurt people."

"Mommy and daddy only hurt the bad people. Why don't you do just that?" she asks and Peter raises his eyebrows, waiting for me to answer. I project annoyance and irritation of his mirth to him, but he just brushes it off.

"I don't know, Bella." I reply and she just frowns, glancing over to Peter who nods his head, answering my unanswered question. "I'm an empath, meaning I can feel emotions."

She widens her eyes and a smile spreads across her face. I raise my eyebrows at her response, and she tells me, "You mean you have a gift?" I'm surprised at this, but nod in response, "Daddy always says he doesn't have a gift, he just 'knows shit.'"

Peter and Charlotte's jaws drop as Bella innocently curses, mimicking Peter's phrase, and Charlotte smacks Peter on the back of the head. The big baby whines and rubs the spot that was just hit, while Charlotte starts going off on him about watching his language. I snicker at my brother, who fought side by side in the newborn wars, is cowering in fear by his Mate. I have to cover my mouth to hold back the laughs that are threatening to escape.

Bella winces, looking over to Charlotte with apologetic eyes, "Sorry, mommy."

Charlotte turns to Bella, and softens her gaze, "It's okay, baby. You wouldn't have learned that word if it wasn't for your daddy." Peter just holds his hands up defense, trying to look guilty. He then turns his gaze to me and throws his annoyance, which I just reply with mirth. Oh, it's amazing to watch him get reamed by his Mate.

"Don't blame daddy. _He _said it all the time." Bella says, stressing the word 'he' and Peter curls his lip into a snarl, radiating nothing but contempt for her father. I can't help the growl that builds in my chest at the thought of someone hurting this child.

* * *

After her breakfast, Bella walks back into her bedroom to get changed, while Peter is working on smoothing things over with Charlotte, who is not talking to him at the moment. He keeps begging for forgiveness, saying that he didn't mean it. Then Charlotte threatens no sex for the next couple of months, and his emotions were so full of despair, I would have thought that someone was about to flay him alive.

"Jasper, have you seen the horses?" Bella asks me as she walks back out, wearing jean capris a t-shirt, and a pair of sneakers on her feet. Her long brown hair is falling in long ringlets as she looks at me with big, hopeful brown eyes. I shake my head, telling her that I haven't, while I'm actually surprised that they have horses, since animals are generally frightened of us. I haven't seen a horse up close since 1933, and I find myself excited to see them.

Over the years, I've forgotten most of my human memories, but I do remember owning a couple of horses and riding them around the land my family owned. It was one of my favorite things to do, and I owned a stallion I named Scout. I rode him just about everyday until I signed up for the Army and had to leave him.

She then turns to Peter and Charlotte, "Can I show him?"

"Sure, Little Bit. I think the Major would like that." Peter says and Bella walks over to me and takes my hand in her tiny, warm one, leading me outside. We walk across the field towards the barn near the back, where I can already see two horses grazing. I glance down to Bella, who looks excited, "How old are you, Darlin'?"

Bella looks up and smiles at me, "I'm five. How old are you?"

"I'm twenty."

"What about vampire years? Daddy's one hundred and thirteen, and mommy's only two years old." she tells me and I smile at her nonchalance, telling her that I'm one hundred and twenty-seven.

"Cool." Bella replies and I look down at her, raising an eyebrow with a smile playing on my lips. This human is definitely interesting, and she's a funny little thing, too. I mostly avoided humans like the plague, Alice always warning me to stay away so I don't attack them. I don't feel any inclination to attack this child, because I simply can't. I think it's physically impossible for me to attack her. Ha, I kind of want to take a picture and show it to Alice and the Cullens, throwing it in their faces that I'm this close to a human and I'm _not_ biting her, like they would assume. Hell, Alice has probably seen this anyway, which is a good thing she doesn't know the phone number here. I don't even want to see her right now.

We get to the dividing fence and Bella raises her arms. I lean down and pick her up, placing her on my hip and climbing over the fence. When we get to the other side, I don't put her down, because I find that I like carrying her and I like having her in my arms. Safe. Bella doesn't seem to mind as well, since she lays her head on my shoulder and wraps her arms around my neck.

She's an inquisitive little thing as she keeps asking me questions about myself, but I find that I like to answer them. It's nice to have someone to talk to, and someone wanting to learn about me. Someone who doesn't know my reputation, because that's really all they judge me for. Someone who wants to know me, for me.

"There's daddy's horse, Clyde." she says, pointing to a dark brown American Saddlebred. A couple of yards away is another horse, a chestnut stallion. "He bought mommy that one and they named her Bonnie. They said when I'm twelve, I can have a horse of my own. Do you ride, Jasper?"

"I sure do, Bella." I reply, smiling down at her, while my accent sticking out and I realize how comfortable I feel. For the first time in forty years, I feel extremely comfortable in my own skin, being back down south and around horses. Most of all, just being around this little girl. I don't have to act prim and proper like I do around the Cullens. I don't have to act at all. I can just be Jasper Whitlock, not Jasper Hale.

"Can we go for a quick ride?" she asks and I look into her large brown eyes, hopeful and pleading. How the hell could I say no to that? How the hell could I say no to anything she ever requests? It's a good thing she doesn't know this, yet. She could probably ask for my heart and I would reach in my chest and hand it over to her. Anything to make her happy.

I nod my head and a bright smile crosses her face as I reluctantly put her down and grab a saddle from the stable. Bella clicks her tongue and Clyde comes trotting right over to her, making me smile. I place the saddle on the horse, before lifting Bella onto my hip, and pulling us up onto the horse. I place Bella in front of me, keeping an arm around her so she doesn't fall.

Bella giggles as we start trotting along and I have to say, I haven't had this much fun in a while. We ride around the land, and I'm proud of what my brother has accomplished in all these years, by himself, and I haven't been around at all. All because of my wife, and I listened to her. She always told me that Peter was a bad influence because of his diet, and I would slip.

Here, I feel like I can finally think clearly. I don't feel clouded, I feel free.

I'm then hit with a realization while glancing down to a smiling Bella, and all my questions are answered. Why the pain in my chest is gone when this child is near me, why I'm so drawn to her, why I have a pure _need_ to protect and care for this child.

She's my Mate.

At this discovery, all I can do is smile.


End file.
